Head Coach Jessica Fry-Jones

Jessica Fry-Jones grew up in and around water. Born in Kalamazoo, MI, Jessica’s family moved to South Haven, a small tourist town on beautiful Lake Michigan. She began swimming for the Sea Dragons at the age of six and immediately took to the water. In her first year, Jessica was awarded Most Improved Swimmer. When a new coach, Doug Thorne, was brought on board to help improve South Haven High School’s swim team, he also became interested in working with the Sea Dragons (later renaming the team Rams Aquatic Club) and both teams started becoming very successful. Under Coach Thorne’s direction, Jessica became a flourishing club swimmer, breaking several team records and earning several awards during her time with the team.

By the time Jessica entered high school, she had been swimming with Coach Thorne for a number of years and the transition into the Women’s Swimming and Diving program was an easy one. High school swimming in Michigan is different than in Virginia; the girls swim from August through November and the boys swim December through March. The program runs almost identical (as far as practice times) as a club team and the athletes would swim 2 ½ to 3 hours a day. Jessica benefited from all this time in the water and became one of the most valuable swimmers on the team during her high school career. She achieved All Conference, All State and All American Honors and broke several school records throughout these four years, including the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle, 200 IM, 200 free relay, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 400 free relay. After Jessica graduated high school in 1998, she was recruited to swim at Alma College, a small, private school in Alma, MI. It was here that she became an even stronger swimmer, especially in long distance events, and broke a few individual and relay school records.

In 2005, after a three year hiatus from swimming, Jessica joined Reston Masters Swim Team in Reston, VA, and has been competing ever since. She has traveled to many different locations, including Florida, Oregon, California and Australia to compete in swim meets. Jessica has attained several USMS Top Ten Individual Finishes, has been a member of many USMS Relay Top Ten Finishes and All American Relays and has broken numerous RMST individual and relay records. She currently swims with Curl-Burke’s Senior Group in Sterling, VA.

Jessica spent seven years working as a construction project manager and estimator, but made the transition into coaching full time in the summer of 2009 with Curl-Burke Swim Club. She has worked with every age group for the year-round club and also conducts swim lessons for three to five year olds for Curl Swim Services. She also provides private swim lessons to children and adults of all ages and abilities. Jessica started as a Junior Coach in 1992 in Michigan and since then has worked as a head coach for Occoquan Swimming in Manassas, VA, and Reston Swim Team Association in Reston, VA. Last summer marked her first year working with a summer league team and this season marks her second year coaching a high school team!

Jessica was married in late 2009 and lives in Cascades with her husband, Andrew. She enjoys swimming (obviously!!!), road cycling, mountain biking, running, competing in triathlons and swim meets, traveling, motor cycling, etc.

Assistant Coach Eric Bateman

Eric Bateman has been a life-long swimmer growing up between Florida (Miami and Orlando) and the Jersey Shore town of Manasquan. While growing up Eric swam at the club level competing throughout Florida and New Jersey. He began coaching and teaching swimming at a summer camp at the Jersey Shore in 1992, working with swimmers from ages 5 thru adult swimmers.

Eric currently lives in Reston with his wife Rebecca. He has always maintained his passion for swimming working at local swim schools and giving private lessons over the years. He looks forward to continue coaching this summer with Jess and his position as Asst. Coach of the Hunter Mill Sharks.